Catheter systems are available for a variety of minimally invasive procedures which are often performed a significant distance from the point of entry within the patient. The distance at which such catheters must maneuver within and through tortuous body passages requires sufficient steerability and pushability along the length of the catheter while maintaining a small cross-sectional profile. This steerability and pushability is often provided, or supplemented, by incorporating a removable guidewire within the catheter lumen. For example, currently available rapid exchange catheter systems provide fast and efficient guidewire removal and/or medical device exchange without the concerted effort of multiple medical professionals. However, the absence of a guidewire extending the full length of the rapid exchange catheter lumen results in a portion of the catheter lacking sufficient columnar support for reliable navigation within small and/or tortuous body passages. For example, a conventional back-loaded rapid exchange catheter may include an unsupported distal portion of 150 cm or more.
An integrated system may provide structural support for the otherwise unsupported portions of a rapid exchange catheter, and improve the overall functionality and packaging of the catheter system, without affecting the operator's ability to front and back load a guidewire within the catheter lumen.